1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cap which fits over one electrical terminal and which seals itself to a mating electrical terminal to inhibit corrosion.
2. Description of Related Art
The concept of an information highway is now developing into hardware which will provide wide bandwidth service to every home and office in the telephone loop plant. The location of this hardware places environmental burdens upon network interface units, particularly with respect to corrosion and its effect upon error free operation. These units, which interconnect the loop plant to interior circuitry must withstand wide temperature excursions and the effects of contamination and moisture. The contaminating species may be air-borne, such as corrosive gases, or they may be particulate contamination, which may become dissolved in water from rain or condensation. Temperature excursions which permit early morning condensation have been found to be particularly offensive because the amount of water is small and the concentration of contaminants is high. Dissolution of some of the contaminate material then forms an acid which corrodes electrical terminals.
Reducing cost is another factor to ensure the universal acceptance of wide-bandwidth systems, so inexpensive connectors have been developed which are intended for indoor use. These are commonly known as "F-type" connectors, and because of their low cost and wide availability; they have also been used in external applications, with unreliable results.
Attempts have been made to protect these connectors by covering them with a cap to exclude the environment, particularly during shipment and installation. The caps are removed upon installation, but corrosive gases and ionic contamination still seep through the threads of the F-type connector and corrode the center conductor. This corrosion layer increases the resistance of the conduction path and causes interference in video or data signals.
Accordingly, there is an increased need in the art for an inexpensive connector which provides reliable, error-free operation over a range of environmental conditions which are to be encountered in the loop plant or any corrosive environment. It would be particularly desirable to use the same inexpensive connector in both interior and exterior applications to minimize cost and inventory. Further, it is desirable to continue using a connector which is already in widespread use by protecting it with an inexpensive cap which will provide corrosion protection before installation and during extended use. In addition, there is a need to minimize the amount of material which is discarded when the connector is mated.